You Drive Me Crazy
by Orange Oak
Summary: Part I  Derek Drives Casey Crazy. Part II  Derek Makes Casey Sick. Part III  Derek and Casey's lives were always easy. Until they fell hard for one another. Will their secret relationship survive the front? Dedicated To Janna! READ & REVIEW!
1. You Drive Me Crazy

You Drive Me Crazy

"You drive me crazy, I just can't sleep. I'm so excited, I'm in too deep. Oh, oh, oh, crazy, but it feels alright. Darling thinkin' of you keeps me up all night." no one in their right mind would have thought that Casey McDonald listened to Britney Spears. The girl used sex to sell everything she put her name on, and Casey was wholeheartedly against women like her. But the music still drew her in. "Come on, sing it!" Casey screamed in time with Britney. In the middle of the living room she stood, hands on her hips, grinding to the music. Her hips waved sexually as Britney's did in her videos and Casey had never felt sexier. She took a look in the mirror as the chorus came on once more and fell to her knees. Standing in the doorway watching her with a smirk laden his face was Derek. "Ugh, go away Derek!" she yelled, throwing a pillow at him. Though she felt stupid for it afterward, she was only in a sports bra and short-shorts. Before she could stop him Derek snapped a photo on his cell and ran up the stairs. "De-rek!!!"

The next morning at breakfast Derek kept humming the most annoying, and for Casey embarrassing, tune. Britney's You Drive Me Crazy must have been as stuck in his head as it was in hers. But for totally different reasons. "Time to rock and roll, guys, lets make it." yelled Casey's Mom.

"I think I'll ride with Derek today."

"No you won't." he said defiantly. "Dad, tell her she won't. It's a grade grubber free zone."

"Derek you...!"

"Drive you crazy, perhaps?" he arched his eyebrow and smirked.

"Never mind, Mom, I'll be riding with you." All the way to school Casey was quiet. Her Mother tried getting out the problem but Casey just asked, politely of course, to be left alone. This little debacle with Derek bothered her all through school. She just knew there would be pictures of her in her bra and shorts plastered all over school. At one time she was even so paranoid as to try and get Derek out of computer class. But the day ended and picture of her were nowhere to be found.

"Ok. Derek, what are you planning to do with it?"

"It?" he asked, looking up from his video game long enough to smirk at her. "By whatever do you mean, Case?"

"Don't call me Case, Derek, and you know what I mean." she said through gritted teeth. "Where is that picture?" she whispered violently turning red. "You better have deleted it.

:Why should I?" he asked smirking up at her and pausing his video game. "Maybe I want it for something."

"For what Derek? To embarrass me? You do that by just being my step-brother!" she yelled in his face and stormed off.

Casey had been beating her pillows for fifteen minutes when their was a knock at the door. She flung it open and frowned when she saw who it was. "Argh!" she screamed before slamming the door in his face. He decided just to come in would be a better idea. "Get out." she said pointing toward the door, which Derek only closed.

"No can do, Case. I'm here to drive you crazy" and before she knew what was happening his lips were on hers. His tongue danced across her lips and she allowed him entrance. Their tongues battled in a fierce dance for dominance. Obviously Derek's won and he took Casey to another plane as his tongue gently massaged her. Leaving a hot trail wherever it happened to touch. Her knees were getting weak, and just when she was about to fall, Derek removed his lips and left her panting.

Hours later Casey lay in beed, unable to sleep, with one song in her head. One she refused to keep quiet any longer.

"Baby, I'm so into you  
You got that somethin, what can I do  
Baby, you spin me around  
The Earth is movin, but I can't feel the ground

Every time you look at me  
My heart is jumpin, it's easy to see

You drive me crazy  
I just cant sleep  
Im so excited, I'm in too deep  
Ohh...crazy, but it feels alright   
Baby, thinkin of you keeps me up all night

Tell Me, you're so into me  
That i'm the only one you will see  
Tell me, i'm not in the blue  
That i'm not wastin, my feelings on you 

You drive me crazy  
I just cant sleep  
Im so excited, I'm in too deep  
Ohh...crazy, but it feels alright  
Baby, thinkin of you keeps me up all night

Crazy, I just can't sleep  
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep  
Crazy, But it feels alright  
Every Day and Every Night

You drive me crazy   
I just cant sleep  
Im so excited, I'm in too deep   
Ohh...crazy, but it feels alright  
Baby, thinkin of you keeps me up all night

You Drive Me Crazy (You drive me crazy baby)  
Ohh..Crazy, But It Feels Alright  
Baby Thinkin of you keeps me up all night  
Baby Thinkin of you keeps me up all night" she giggled.

"Yeah, he drives me crazy."


	2. You Make Me Sick

Well this is the sequel to You Drive Me Crazy. I was inspired by Pink's old song, You Make Me Sick. I hope you all enjoy it.

You Make Me Sick

Casey MacDonald sat at her hardwood desk on a hot Friday, listening to her I-Pod after a particularly trying week. The sounds streamed from her ear-buds to her ears, mellowing her to her core so that she bopped to the sounds of _The Higher's __Insurance_. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong that week, had gone wrong. Emily and she were fighting over something as trivial as a boy, she was unsure of a test she'd taken for a Summer program and she'd been kissed by Derek and she _wouldn't _stop thinking about him. To top it all off, the boy acted as if nothing had happened. Yeah, Casey was hoping to just relax this weekend, with nothing and no one to bother her. It was all too perfect, Marti was spending the weekend with one of her little friends, Lizzie was busy with Soccer, Edwin was busy trying to be the next Derek and the one and only Derek Venturi was going on a weekend trip with his friends. Life couldn't be more perfect for Casey this weekend and she was planning on enjoying every second of it.

Looking over to the door Casey made sure it was closed and locked before she got to her feet and started grinding her hips to _Jessica Simpson's __Irresistible_. That had been her most embarrassing moment, being caught by Derek still she saw the image of him smirking over at her waving the camera phone for her to see. Nothing had been more detrimental to her health than that, because she had been stressing the entire week, thinking 'What if he's shown his friends?' and things along those lines. But there would be NO Derek this weekend and for _that _she was more than thankful. The song was soon over and she found herself thinking of how Derek seemed to be irresistible. "Grrr." she growled to her reflection in the floor length mirror. She threw the I-Pod on the bed and went to the door, after unlocking it she flung it open and came face to face with the taker of her thoughts. "Not now Derek." she said pushing past him. Unluckily for the both of them Derek's footing was not secure and he fell.

"Nice one Casey!" said Lizzie from down the hall laughing. She cheered on even more as Derek grabbed his ankle and began saying 'ow'

"Yeah, nice one Casey." he said through gritted teeth. She just smirked down at him, feeling, for once this week, superior. With an evil smile on her face she skipped down the stairs, every once in a while looking back to where Derek lay.

The next few minutes found Casey in the kitchen munching on cookies with a sickeningly happy smile upon her face. "Case?" asked Nora as she looked over her daughter's appearance. Sun shone from the smile upon her face. "You haven't done anything ... bad that we should know about?"

"Me?" asked Casey innocently. "Mom, come on." Casey knew she was lying but it felt like the right thing to do. Surely Derek would tell their parents what had happened in the hallway.

"Well, ok, it's just ... I know that look. That is Derek's look." said Nora checking her daughter's forehead.

"Mo-ther!" said Casey clearly annoyed. "There is nothing wrong with me, I'm just happy." said Casey as she got up from her chair. "I'm going to my room."

"Actually, you're not. George and I are calling a family meeting. Go get your brothers and sisters." said Nora with a smile on her face. Casey knew then the farce was up. Somehow in those few minutes between Casey saying she was leaving and now Nora had found out. How? Who knew. She was a parent, and all children know they have special powers.

"Ok." Casey sulked going to the stairs in the living room. Marti, Edwin, Lizzie, De-rek! Come downstairs!"

"I could have done _that _Case." laughed Nora sitting on the arm of Derek's favorite Lazy Boy recliner. Casey just shrugged and tried to smile, hoping a kind smile would work in her favor. They came down the stairs like a stampede, all except Derek who limped the whole flight of stairs. Casey couldn't believe her eyes, there was no was her little shove could have hurt him. No way.

"Good, they're all here." said George coming in from the office. The kids all looked on from their seated positions on the couch that suddenly seemed to small. Casey was more nervous that anyone, she had actually lied to her Mom. That was so unlike her. Had thinking of Derek actually started to change her? Was she becoming like him? "Now..."

"OK, I did it!" screamed Casey. "But Derek was asking for it. Please don't be mad." she begged from the floor with her hands above her head. Everyone in the room was quiet until Derek burst into laughter.

"Real nice Case, real nice." he laughed even harder.

"Case, what are you talking about?" asked Nora.

"You know." said Casey getting to her feet.

"No we don't know." said George taing his spectacles down onto the bridge off his nose so he could peer over tham at her curiously. "What is going on?"

"Oh, umm, nothing." said Casey fidgeting in place with her hands firmly clasped behind her. "I'm working on a bit of a stage play type thing." she said hurrying back to her spot."Do continue." she laughed nervously.

"That was just ... odd, I think you should work on it Case." said Nora. "But moving on to the reason we're all here. George and I are going away for the weekend." Casey's insides leapt for joy. A weekend with no parents. No Derek, No Marti, NO PARENTS, Casey had practically died and gone to Heaven. "Marti will be with Amanda and the Petes down the street for the weekend, Lizzie is staying with Carly and Edwin will be with James next door. Since you'll be alone Case, I've asked James' Mother to check on you periodically."

"Oh no she won't" said Derek, causing all heads to turn.

"What do you mean Derek?" Casey narrowed her eyes to slits as she looked at him. There was no way he could be talking about crashing her weekend.

"I _fell _in the hall and I think I sprained my ankle, there's no way I can go with Sam and the guys this weekend."

"Are you alright?" asked Nora as she rushed to his side. "Should we take him to the hospital?" Nora asked turning to George.

"No, I'm sure it's just a sprain." said George walking over to his son, and checking the tender ankle. Over his Father's shoulder, Derek winked at the now concerned Casey.

"Aargh." growled Casey underneath her breath. "Derek." she hissed.

The next day found Casey alone in her room staring up at the ceiling. With a small smile on her face she looked over at the clock. It was ten o'clock and not a sound could be heard in the MacDonald-Venturi house. Since Derek had decided to stay home Casey had thought he would be the storm that blew away her perfect weekend. But, so far, he had the model step-brother.

And then she heard it. A quiet tinkling, something like the sound of the Quiet Time Bell they used for family discussion. Because when a speaker rang the bell it was time for quiet. Casey rolled out of bed and stretched as te cool floor touched her feet. She smiled as her feet then sunk into fuzzy, though slightly worn, pink bunny slippers. Opening her door she traipsed down the hall, seeking the place where the sound had come from. She found herself at the top of the stairs before long. As she descended the stairs she noticed that the ringing only grew ever louder. Sitting in the worn Lazy Boy was Derek with the bell in hand. When he spotted Casey he smirked and said, "So, this thing really is good for something."

"What are you doing Derek?" asked Casey in an already annoyed tone.

"Waiting on you to make me breakfast." Said Derek sighing as he threw his hands back behind his head with the bell still in his right one.

"Why would _I_ do that for _you_?" laughed Casey.

"Because you don't want Dad or Nora to find out what really happened in the hall." said Derek smirking once more.

"Fine, I'll make you breakfast." said Casey stomping the entire way to the kitchen.

"Oh, you'll do more than that." said Derek evilly to the four walls around him. He then took out a pad and pencil from the side of his chair.

Around thirty minutes later Casey returned bearing goodies, as Derek referred to the food in his mind. Sausage, eggs, buttered toast and orange juice littered the tray in Casey's hands. "Why Casey, you've outdone yourself. This is breakfast fit for a king." chuckled Derek as he propped up the Lazy Boy from its reclined position. "Which I, the disabled, obviously deserve."

"Whatever Derek." said Casey with a satisfied smile on her face. She had done what Derek had asked and now it was time to relax. "Bye!" she said happily ski[[ing toward the stairs. Her hand was on the railing, her foot the bottom step when Derek cleared his throat.

"Ahem, Casey." said Derek with a mouth full of eggs.

"What _now _Derek?" asked Casey, turning on her heel to face him.

"I've made a, uh, short list of things that _you _can do for _me."_ the look on Casey's face was priceless, a mixture of annoyance and pure agony. Derek burst into laughter as a small blush worked it's way up Casey's cheeks.

"You aren't serious?" she asked, though there was no doubt in her mind that he was.

"Oh, but I am."he smiled, successfully making Casey's knees weak. He then turned over a piece of paper. "Just a few things to keep you busy..." Derek handed Casey the list and her jaw dropped as she looked at the ridiculous requests.

_**1. Refer To Derek As The King**_

_**2. Stand Outside In Your PJ's For Five Minutes**_

_**3. Rub The King's Feet**_

_**4. Watch The Kind Play Babe Raider**_

_**5. Clean The King's Room**_

"Oh, my God, Derek, this is too much." whined Casey.

"Yes I am your God." he laughed. "But what did you call me?" he challenged raising his brow and pointing to his supposedly damaged ankle.

"Aargh, King Derek, this is too much."

"That sounds so sexy when you say it. Whew!" shouted Derek, a trill in his usual calm voice. "Now, chop, chop. Time for the second task."

"Fine."

"Fine who?"

"Fine, King Derek." said Casey through gritted teeth. "I cannot believe I am about to do this." mumbled Casey as she walked over to the door. "Please don't make me do this Derek. I mean King Derek." she said shaking her head. Derek just turned his head and pointed to the door. "I hate you." she said vehemently as she went out onto the porch.

"God, this is priceless." said Derek as he got to his feet. He hobbled over to the door and lightly closed it. Casey only heard the lock click before she knew what was going on.

"He didn't." she panicked. "He wouldn't." she reasoned as she went over and checked the door handle, it was surely locked. "Derek, you open this door." she said firmly. When that didn't work she pleaded. "Come on Derek, please open the door." Derek finally appeared at the door with a smirk on his face. A smirk of superiority, Casey knew.

"Who am I, Case?" he asked, his smirk growing into a smug smile.

"The King." Casey mumbled. "Now let me in."

"I didn't quite hear that. Say it again."

"You're The King." said Casey a little more loudly and forcefully.

"One more time, loud and proud!" screamed Derek throwing his head back.

"YOU'RE THE KING!" yelled Casey with all her might, as she banged on the door for an even more dramatic affect. When she finally heard the lock click, which seemed like it took forever, she rushed inside. Glaring at an obviously amused Derek, Casey threw herself down onto the couch.

"You should have seen your face." laughed Derek. "Oh wait, you can." Derek reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. He turned the cell to face Casey, she saw herself screaming "You Are The King" over and over again. Eyes shut tight, fists banging against the door, people looking on in the background. Yeah, it was embarrassing.

"De-rek!" she screamed , storming off in the direction of the stairs, but once again she was stopped.

"Oh, Casey, it's time..." he said, pulling off his sock. "...for my foot rub."he smiled a sickeningly happy smile. Casey knew better than to have any doubts. This was really about to happen. Instead of taking it, however, she went into the bathroom and came back out with latex gloves and lotion. There was no way she was touching Derek's bare feet with her bare hands. After pulling on the late gloves, she squeezed some lotion into the palm of her hand and began rubbing his feet.

"Wow, Case, you're pretty good at this." said Derek smiling from ear to ear.

"You are taking some sort of perverse pleasure from this." said Casey as she rubbed the heels of his feet.

"You know I am." he laughed while discreetly pulling out his cell phone. He began to film without Casey's knowledge. "Ladies and Gents, this is proof that Casey worships my feet!" he said quickly. Casey looked up and caught sight of the camera phone.

"Derek!"she screamed getting to her own slipper clad feet and slapping the phone from his hand into his lap. She grabbed at it but he was too quick. She ripped off the gloves, tossed them in the garbage and then stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. "What now?"

"Simple. Watch me play the _un-rated _version of Babe Raider." he smirked at the disgusted look on her face.

Turns out the un-rated version of Babe Raider was even worse and more sexist than the first but Casey found a way around it. She went up to her room and came back down with a good book, she began to read while Derek tries to finish up the second level of Babe Raider. "No BOOKS allowed." ordered The King Derek.

"And where does it say that King Derek?"

"Grrr, go clean my room." he said in a frustrated tone. Casey headed for the stairs but not before getting the last word in.

"You are infuriating!" and then she stomped the entire flight of stairs.

Derek's room was no easy task. There were papers to stack, clothes to fold and games to rearrange. It was like the boy had purposely messed up hie entire room so she would have a hell of a time cleaning it. But there was an upside to cleaning Derek's junky room. The boy wasn't around, to crack jokes or film her. And after an hour and a half, Casey was through cleaning. She left him room, slamming the door behind her. "Done!" she said hastily. With little to no energy left Casey went over to her room, preceding to slam the door. Throwing herself down on the bed, Casey thanked God it was _only _Saturday. There was still one day of relaxation left.

Once her head hit the pillow, her eyes fell closed and she was finally at peace. "No...more...Derek." she yawned. Casey thought this glorious thought over and over again as she fell into a deep sleep. Thought obviously not deep enough. Sometime later she heard it. The Bell from Hell, as she had come to call it in her mind, was ringing again. "Oh, my God." yelled Casey who was flailing around in her bed. "This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happ-" but, sure enough, there it was again."De-rek!" she yelled as she rolled out of bed and threw open her door. She marched down the hall, each step pounding louder than the last as she walked the hall. "Derek, you son of a b-" but she didn't get to finish her statement. She was cut short as her feasted upon a sight so delectably sweet it was insane. Derek in a tuxedo with a single long stem red rose in one hand. "Wh-what is going on here, Derek you expecting someone and you need a waiter?" asked Casey as she stared at him. His only answer was a smile. That really threw Casey for a loop. Why would he be smiling at her, of all people. "Derek?" she asked hesitantly.

"Trust me Case?" he asked taking her by the hand.

"No, not really," she laughed bitterly, wishing she could, indeed, trust him. "Why would I?"

"Just for tonight." he said quietly, staring into her eyes, into her soul. "Please?" in this moment he was so humble. So not Derek Venturi. She wanted so badly to walk away, to crush him, but there was something. Something in her that just couldn't resist him. 'So irresistible' she thought as she took his hand. With a smile that could him many awards he lead her through the darkened living room. Before she could ask"why's it so dark in here?" she was silenced by the shock of Derek's hands over her eyes and his hard body pressed against her back.

"If you have something planned, Derek, I swear..." she started, though she knew hers was an empty threat.

"Shhh." he whispered against her suddenly sensitive neck effectively quieting her. Just as soon as she was used to the feel of his hands over her eyes, his body close, the smell of his intoxicating cologne, it was all gone. He laughed as she whimpered. "Open your eyes." he said softly, and Casey did as she was in a trance.

Her eyes flickered open and into her view came the candle lit dining room. slow and sweet music played in the background and the soft scent of vanilla hung over them. "Derek, what...?" she asked, clearly flustered. Derek only chuckled and pulled out a chair, asking her to sit. As she took her seat, she noticed the table was intimately set for two. Derek, as she was lost in her hazy thoughts, sat the rose by her side. "Oh Derek." she gasped as she was served pasts by the one and only _Chef _Venturi. Derek than took his seat, served himself and so dinner began.

All was quiet as they ate because neither was sure of what to say. Casey looked up from her plate just in time to catch Derek staring at her. To her surprise he didn't look away, but smiled coyly her way. Making her blush, something he couldn't see in the dimly lit room. Caught in her pretty eyes was he and she was all he could see. And then he did the strangest thing, he laughed, ruining the moment. "What? Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No."he continued to laugh."But you do have dishes." he laughed even harder.

"You know what Derek?" she asked getting to her feet. Derek immediately stopped laughing, thinking he had offended her. Not that it would have been the first time. Walking over to him she confidently pulled his chair out and set herself in his lap. He arched his brown in newfound curiosity. "Sometimes..." she said as their foreheads touched. "...you make me sick." she finished as she allowed their lips to touch lightly. Their tongues intertwined as each opened their mouths. The kiss held fiery passion, and sealed an unspoken bond.

The End

Please Review

Much Love and Kisses


	3. Hate That I Love You So

Hate That I Love You So

It was seven in the morning when Casey awoke to sounds of the shower running. Yawning and stretching, she sat upright and took a look at the clock. It read 7:03 in big aqua numbers. "Good morning me." said Casey happily. It was officially Friday, the last day of school before Summer started and she was super excited. She had so many thing she wanted to do, and so little Summer to do them in. Today, however, Casey and her best friend Emily were going to Raging Waters. Casey couldn't wait, for once, for school to be over. It had been a stressful two weeks. What, with finding out she was really into her step brother, the one and only Derek Venturi, and entering into some unspoken relationship with him. Today Casey would swim and forget all that had happened. With a smile she said, "Yeah, today is gonna be fun." and she then got out of bed. As her feet touched the hardwood floor she shrieked. It was a particularly cool morning she noticed, though she was a little late. She put her feet into cozy, not to mention very warm, bulldog slippers. A considerable upgrade from her worn bunny slippers that had begun falling apart in places. Again she stretch and yawned as she went over to her mirror and got her clothes that she would be wearing to school. A pair of Arizona jeans that sat just right on her hips, a maroon polo that showed just enough midriff and a light pink sweater jacket to wrap around her waist.

Pulling the door open, Casey ventured out into the hall. All was quiet save for the sound of running water. Upon seeing Derek's door open she knew that he was the one occupying the shower. Casey took the spot on the floor right next to the bathroom door. Letting her head fall back against the wall she closed her eyes. Five minutes later Casey failed to notice the shower shutting off or the door to her left opening. "Casey?" asked Derek in a manner that said he wasn't too concerned. "Earth to Casey." Casey's eyes flickered open and she they snapped back shut for her to take an even quicker second look. Standing there in the tiniest white towel he could possibly find was Derek. Beads of water dripped from his hair down onto his abs and lower still did those beads of water go. "Getting a good look?"

"Uhh, no." said Casey quickly looking anywhere but at him "Hi Derek." Casey wanted to smack herself for sounding so stupid and allowing the sight of Derek in a towel turn her into a flustered idiot. "You're out of the shower I see." said Casey trying to make small talk though the thought of him just coming out of the shower caused a blush to her roots.

"So you _have _got eyes." exclaimed Derek laughing. Casey only blushed redder than ever. Rather than torture the poor girl any longer Derek would give her relief. Why? He had no idea. "Go take your shower, Casey."he said to the entranced Casey as he went into his room. Even him disappearing from her view didn't bring Casey out of her trance. It took the thud of his bedroom door closing to awaken her from her daydreaming.

"Oh, my God." whispered Casey as she shivered at the thoughts of Derek that were running through her mind.

Derek smirked as he leaned up against his bedroom door. He hung his head low and smiled as thoughts of Casey sent chills through him. The way she'd looked at him, with such wanting and desire had driven him crazy. No girl had ever looked at him that way. But no matter how much he liked Casey, he was still Derek Venturi and he would not allow the girl to see him sweat. Even if he still shivered from that one look alone. "Get it together Derek." he said slapping himself softly with both hands. "You are _the _Derek Venturi and you _don't _get shaken up over girls."he whispered fervently to himself. He ran his hands through unruly locks of brown and sighed. No Derek Venturi pep-talk was going to take his mind off of Casey. The girl had invaded his thoughts and she refused to leave. To top it all off that scorching kiss they shared last weekend had been the core of his fantasies lately. The girl was everywhere. In his life, in his house, in his dreams. With his thoughts securely on the girl he wanted no other man to have, he crossed over to his closet. He pulled out a pair of dark semi-baggy jeans, a blue t-shirt and a lighter blue zipper-hoodie. The t-shirt was about a year old and clung to him in every way possible. "Yeah, this'll do it." he said to himself as he dropped his towel to the floor. Upon seeing how small it was he chuckled. He must have given Casey quite the show. A few moments later found Derek in some black silk boxers, the same ones he'd worn when Casey had given him ths kiss of a lifetime. After putting on deodorant he sprayed Axe all over his body. "Oh, yeah, Casey won't know what hit her." he said thinking of how intoxicating he would be to her senses, all five of them.

"Oh really now?" the voice surprised him, he turned in shock to see his brother Edwin sitting upon his bed.

"Don't you ever knock?" he asked accusingly. Edwin just gave him a look with his head cocked to the side.

"So what are we doing to Klutzilla this week?" he asked. "Well, whatever it is, you can count me in." he said smiling evilly and rubbing his hands together. Derek's mind struggled with what to say to his younger brother, but on the outside he kept it cool with a shrug.

"I don't know, man, but it'll be good." said Derek, rubbing his hands in much the same fashion as Edwin.

"Right. Me neither." Derek scoffed pulling on his pants and buttoning this at his waist. "Get out." he said laughing as Edwin watched him dress. "You're creeping me out." again Edwin gave him a look, but he left anyway. Leaving Derek alone in peace with his thoughts once more. Or so he thought. When he pulled his shirt over his head there was no one there, but when he put his head through the hole there was a little girl with dark hair standing in his doorway. "What'sup Smarti?" he asked. When she didn't respond, only stood there, he got concerned. "Marti?" he asked again. Without thinking twice he went over and scooped her up. He carried over the threshold and took her down the hall to the very end, her room, in between Edwin and Lizzie's.

"Derek, I don't feel so good." she said in a voice even smaller than she.

"Yeah I know, but don't worry. You're gonna ne okay." he tried to smile but he knew he failed miserably.

"Okay." she said as she tried her best to nod.

"I'll stay right her with you."said Derek earnestly looking into his little sister's eyes. And then he yelled the one name that had been running through his mind all morning. It almost felt like things had always been this way. Where he could call on her and she would come. And maybe it always had.

"Yes Derek." said the chipper Casey. When the two saw each other they were like magnets, completely attracted. Casey wasn't dressed any differently that usual but something about her seemed different. In Derek's eyes she seemed to glow. A frown crossed her beautiful face and Derek vowed to bring back her smile. "What's wrong Derek?" she asked, voice full of concern.

"I dunno." he said quietly, averting his eyes from the loveliest sight he had ever laid eyes upon. "I think Marti's sick, can you get Nora and Dad?"

"Sure thing." said Casey, the lines of worry etched into her beautiful face. Casey hurried off, but not before kissing Marti's arm forehead. Derek genuinely smiled at that, and he was almost glad Casey wasn't around to see him. Because Derek Venturi did not smile at girls, e smirked, that's all the deserved. But something about Casey made him want to smile. A feeling he longed to crush but know not how to.

As he waited he held Marti's hand in his tenderly, as if she was the most fragile thing in the world. A lot sooner than he had expected, people flooded the room. "Oh, George, look at her." said Nora as she and George both knelt by Marti's bed. "She's gonna be ok though." said Nora, though it seemed she was trying to reassure herself more than anyone.

"Yeah, of course." said George, though he too looked quite uncertain. "I'll go and call Dr. Rosenbaum."

"Good. I'll stay with her." said Nora offering her husband a small smile. Once he left the room Lizzie, Edwin and Casey cautiously moved closer to the little girl's bedside. Lizzie and Edwin began to ask questions to which Nora had no answers. Casey, however, moved over to Derek's side of the bed and took his spare hand in hers. Just the feeling of their hands lightly pressed against one another sent shocks through them both. To touch her made Derek feel light, as if he was floating on air. So much so that he actually allowed himself a small smile in her direction. Some moments passed before Edwin actually caught sight of what his brother and step-sister were doing.

"Dude, you're totally touching Casey." he exclaimed alerting everyone in the room to their small intimate and supposedly private touch. The moment was officially ruined.

All was quiet, save for the sounds of spoons clanking against glass bowls and coffee mugs. No one was saying a word, as al were too busy worrying about Marti. Dr. Rosenbaum had been in with her for twenty minutes and if he didn't hurry the kids would have to go to school without knowing. You could cut the tension with a knife. "How long has it been now?" asked the youngest of the three males in the room.

"Five minutes later than the last time you asked you goof." said Derek as he gave his brother a nasty look.

"Oh." said Edwin, as he dropped his spoon into his bowl. "I'm done. Can I go and finished getting ready?" he tried to hide it but he was just as worried as anyone else. His thought was to keep busy, to do something to pass the time. Anything would suffice.

"Sure, go ahead." said Nora absentmindedly. George didn't even notice his son leave. He had been staring at the stairs for the full twenty minutes he had been down stairs. He didn't know what he would do if something was seriously wrong. Then the doctor came down the stairs. Mr. Rosenbaum was a plump, short man with round spectacles on his face and a pencil moustache above thin lips. He had a grandfather-ly appearance, and that's how his younger patients seem to refer to him. The usual was "Hey Gramps" or something close to it. "So?" said Nora before anyone could voice their concerns. George just stared at the man, waiting for an answer to his wife's question.

"Well, I'm glad that I got her when I did, that's for sure." he said chuckling, though no one else found this situation to be a laughing matter."Marti is going to be just fine." he said, finally putting the room at ease. There was this invisible weight lifted off of each and every one of them. "It happens to be a bug, curable in about week by antibiotics. I'll prescribe some and she should be up and out soon. No worries."

"Oh." sighed Nora with her hand over her heart. "You have no idea how worried we were. We thought she might have caught the flu or something from one of her classmates."

"No, no, no." laughed Dr. Rosenbaum again. "Though I don't doubt she got it from someone else at school."

At this time Casey tuned the doctor out, as she was concentrated on the look of relief on Derek's face. She'd never seen him so shaken up before, nothing ever seemed to get to him. Even when Marti had chicken pox he laughed about it. So seeing him all rattled, seeing another side of him period, through her for a loop. No matter how hard he tried, Derek was a caring, nurturing person. Casey could see that deep down with him, she just had to look a little harder. "Well it's time I take my leave. Good day to you folks." said Dr. Rosenbaum leaving through the archway of the dining room where the family had gathered. Nora and George hugged before George said he was off to check on the sleeping Marti.

"Lizzie will you go and get Edwin?" asked Nora. "I have to drop you three off at school."

"Sure." said Lizzie.

"You know what Nora, I think I'll take Casey to school today." said Derek as he relaxed, finally in his chair.

"Huh?" asked all three females in the dining room. Even Lizzie had to stop and turn to see if she had misheard what he had said.

"What?" he laughed, as if he had said something normal. Just two weeks ago his car had been a 'grade grubber free zone', now he was actually _volunteering _to take Casey to school. Something had to be wrong.

"Okay, I don't know what you're planning, Derek, but stop it ahead of time because Casey is in no way stupid enough to ride in a car with you." said Lizzie before she trotted uop the stairs. She was half way when she heard Casey say something she never thought she'd hear.

"Okay. I'll ride with you."

"Umm, did I miss something?" asked Nora. "This isn't some sort of prank war or anything?"

"If it was I wouldn't be riding with the enemy." laughed Casey.

"Explain yourself." she said to Derek. There just had to be something going on. No way would this two be able to coexist for an entire ride to school. They had trouble enough doing that at home.

"Call it the Summer Bug Bite. I'm going _crazy _out of my mind." Derek threw his hands up and circled them over his heads to show his insanity. "See you outside Case." said Derek as he stood to his feet and grabbed his bag from the floor. He headed out the back door, leaving Casey with a smile on her face and a confused look on Nora's. Casey smiled at her Mother and then went to her room to grab her messenger bag and I-Pod. She ran back down the stairs in record timing, almost as if she didn't want to keep Derek waiting. But Nora knew that was too good to be true.

"See you later Mom." said Casey giving her Mother a kiss on the cheek and a hg before grabbing a granola bar and heading out the back door. Not too long after that did George come downstairs.

"Where's Casey?" he asked.

"Derek took her." said Nora, still not truly believing it. She had the picture of her baby sitting out on the road somewhere.

"Derek? My son Derek?"

"One in the very same."

"Hmm." said George tilting his head to the side. "Well it's the last day of school. Maybe that has something to do with it." he shrugged.

"It goes deeper than that, I'm sure." mumbled Nora. And she would snoop, if she had to, to find out.

A green Jeep Liberty pulled into the Junior parking lot of East High School(1) and stopped as it found its way into a parking spot. The driver, Derek Venturi, blew the horn as some of his friends passed. They waved and he waved back. Casey just smiled from ear to ear, never having been in the Junior parking lot as she didn't have a car and she couldn't drive. "Thanks for bringing me, Derek, even if is the _last _day of school."

"And they say I'm ungrateful." he laughed. "So we gotta talk."

"We do?" asked Casey. Had the bond their shared been broken already? Was their "something" already a nothing. Casey's mind swarmed with thoughts and none of them good.

"Yeah. Umm..." he bit his bottom lip, something cute Casey didn't fail to notice. "...about us. If there is an us I mean."

"Well we have kissed twice and I thought it meant something to you, but if not... well then, whatever." said Casey folding her arms across her chest.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Casey, give me a chance to say what I have to say." Derek took a deep breath as he readied himself. "I wanna be with you." there, he'd said it. Now what would she have to say back to him? He knew not but he was nervous as all hell.

"Really?" asked Casey with the biggest of smiles on her face. "I wouldn't mind being with you too." she said with an eyebrow raised, reminding Derek so much of himself.

"That is not a good look on you." he said softly. "But this is." he said placing his hand lightly on the nape her neck. He locked her gaze and stared into her irises, nothing had been so entrancing as her eyes. Allowing their lips just to touch, but not really, Derek skillfully put a kiss on Casey's lips that she would never forget. It burned with passion yet seemed to cool her on the hot Summer's day. It enslaved her senses and yet made her aware. It was everything and nothing, too much and yet too little for it was over far too soon. "Someone might see us." Casey just looked at him curiously. She obviously didn't care. "That's the thing, no one can know. Especially not our family. Do you know how weird that would be, and they wouldn't let us be together."

"Yeah." the realization dawned on Casey. Though they were not blood this sort of thing was still looked down upon. Two people whose love should not go beyond that of a brother or sister dating was seen as appalling. It hit like a ton of bricks, they really would have to keep things under wraps. It greatly upset Casey, she wanted to shout to the world. She finally had who she wanted and she knew he wanted her."Yeah, okay." the two then grabbed their bags and got out of the car, running for the school as they were already late for their last day.

The last day of school was always a slow, hot day, but this was ridiculous. The last fine minutes to the last bell before Summer were going by painstakingly slow. The class sat, most with their heads down on the desks. One of those heads resting with his forehead on his arm belonged to Derek. Long ago he, along with most of the class, had put his drawing papers and video game away. Now all he had to do was wait. The nerve-racking thing was he felt like he was waiting for so much. He was waiting for school to finally be over, waiting to see Casey again, waiting to hold her, waiting to kiss her once more, and he was waiting to leave for Raging Waters. To which he had been invited by Kendra. Some part of him wanted to say 'hell no'. After all what would he want with Kendra when he ha Casey? But there was this chance, slim as it could possibly be, that he would see Casey. And he wasn't willing to give that up. Plus, he reasoned to himself with a smirk, she would be in a bikini. Which Casey hardly wore, something about sexploitation. while he was lost in thought, the bell rung. Cheers rang out and Derek's mind snapped back. He, unlike his classmates, just smiled and grabbed his book-bag by the strap and slung it over his shoulder. "See you Mrs. Hooper." said Derek to his home room teacher.

"Have a good Summer Mr. Venturi." she chuckled.

"Oh, I will." he assured her. His Summer plans ventured from starting a band with his best friend and drummer, Sam, to hanging out on the beach with no one but Casey. Again, in a bikini. Derek roamed the halls aimlessly, actually reminiscing over the many fights he and Casey had, had in the halls of Eat High. It made him laugh, the things they had gone through, and at the time it was all because he liked a girl he thought he would never have. Before he could figure out just where he had ended up, he was stopped.

"Yoohoo, hun!" exclaimed the distinct voice of Kendra. "Where are you on your way to?"

"Nowhere really." he shrugged. "You ready to go?" he asked slipping his hands around her waist. A fruity scent floated up to his nose and, though it was nothing like Casey's sweet scent, it would have to do.

"You know I am." she giggled leaning into him. The feel of her body was nothing like Casey's. Derek knew he should stop comparing the two girls but he couldn't help it. It was almost second nature. No girl would ever measure up, he knew. "I just have to stop by my locker."

"Alright." was all he said as Kendra lead the way to A Hall. The walk there was quiet, leaving Derek to think about all that had happened this day. He had really kissed his step-sister on school grounds and actually formed a secret relationship with her. It was all so unreal. Derek didn't even do relationships. Public ones or secret ones. How had things changed so dramatically in these past three weeks. When he passed into A Hall however his thought process trained as his eyes caught sight of the girl that had captivated his heart. It seemed Casey had stopped at her locker too and was getting some things last minute.

"My bathing suit." he heard her say to Emily. The girl just nodded and smiled, before nodding in Derek's direction. Casey actually turned and looked at him. She wanted so bad to wave but she knew she couldn't so instead she smirked. Derek's only thought was what he had thought earlier but it was as close to a smile as he was going to get. Derek just smiled a small smile and turned his attention back to Kendra.

"What's got you so happy?" she asked staring at him suspiciously.

"Just being with you, babe." he lied easily enough, it was also second nature to lie to girls to get what he wanted. It was just Derek. "You aren't ready yet." he frowned, Kendra was in the mirror and, if allowed, there was no limit to how much time she's spend there.

"Yeah but, know this, you can't rush perfection." she said smiling and blowing a kiss to her reflection while sliding her hands down her hourglass figure.

"No..." said Derek as he looked over to Casey, causing his smirk to grew into a small smile. "...you can't."

Raging Waters was filled to the brink with people. It being the first official day of Summer. It seemed as if all of East High was there plus some. Still in all Casey found herself having fun with her best friend Emily by her side. Though she would think of Derek every now and again. She was unsure of what he might be doing and who he might be doing it with, that worried her. They had gone on every water slide they could find and played many games and Emily even won a huge stuffed bear in aqua. It wasn't her color so she gave it to Casey, and they laughed about how it matched her outfit. Now they sit at the circular wet bar that sat just in the middle of the larger pool. They had just come from playing water volleyball with some cute guys whose names they couldn't remember. Casey was in an aqua bikini and white shorts while Emily decided to be a bit brighter in her mosaic print tangerine tank-ini and yellow shorts. The girls sipped on two tall glasses of non-alcoholic pina colata with their brightly colored umbrellas and straws.

"You know what?" asked the ebony beauty Emily.

"No." Casey laughed, bubbly from her day of fun and relaxing in the sun. "What?" she rolled her tongue around her lips and sighed. "Mmm, these are _so _good."

"This is going to be the _best _Summer of our lives!" said Emily.

"Cheers to that!" exclaimed Casey. "Here's to Summer, whew!" yelled Casey feeling wild and free. She sat down and crashed her glass against Emily's once more lightly and drank the last of her pina colata. Emily just laughed as she too downed the last bit of her drink.

"And here's to you sexy ladies." said the sly young bartender. Casey and Emily looked him over as he passed them their drinks, and he was hot. Derek hot. Around 5'9, tanned, short spiky black hair, gorgeous hazel brown eyes and dimples. Not to mention six pack abs. The girls were in Heaven as they stared at him. "On the house." he winked in Casey's direction.

"Oh my god." whispered Emily. "Did you see that?"

"See what Em?" Casey tried to pretend that she hadn't seen him checking her out but she was nobody's fool and that look was not one easily missed.

"Yeah, you saw it." laughed Emily. "But, for the sake of arguement, he totally checked you out."

"So what." said Casey nonchalantly. If only Emily knew that she had Derek they wouldn't even be having this conversation.

"So what?" exclaimed Emily getting to her feet in the pool."So what is me walking away and you getting to know that gorgeous hunk of man meat."

"No way, Em. Don't leave me alone with him."

"Too late." as Emily was already walking away with her drink. As soon as she was gone the bartender came back.

"Is there _anything _I can get you?" he flirtatiously asked.

"Your name." she said playfully, fully feeling the effects of the sun.

"I'm Troy, Troy Bolton." he said extending his hand to her. She put her palm in his and he kissed the back of her hand. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Casey, Casey MacDonald." she said feeling a little foolish for giving a complete stranger her full name.

"Nice to meet you Casey." he said winking again. Casey just smiled and tried her hardest not to blush. "I get off in about half an hour, wanna grab a bite to eat from the concession stand?"

"Sure, sounds nice. I'll see you in half an hour." Casey downed her drink and got to her feet. "See you later Troy." she said happily. Casey swam over to where Casey was floating by herself watching a volley ball going on. "Hey." she said as she put her hand on her shoulder.

"Hey Casey!" said Emily in an excited voice. "Sooooo?"

"So his name is Troy and we'll be meeting him in half an hour." Casey went on about telling her she had felt stupid telling him her last name but it dawned on Casey after about five minutes that Emily wasn't listening. Instead she looked over Casey's shoulder with wide eyes.

"Oh my God." she said slowly. "Casey, look." Casey turned around, half expecting to see Troy, but she got the shock of a lifetime when she saw Derek. Hair wait, beads of water clinging to his body as he seemed to rise out of the pool in slow motion. But all too soon her fantasy was interrupted when Kendra jumped on Derek's back and squealed as he slammed her backward, sending them both into the pool with water flying up everywhere. In Casey's mind there were only three words. This. Is. War.

Half an hour could not pass fast enough for Casey and to top it all off they had been spotted by Sam. He had the bright idea that all five should join up at the wet bar. When there were only four seats left Kendra found herself in Derek's lap and that drove Casey completely mad with anger and jealousy. So jealous was she that she hardly said a word. Emily occupied her time by talking to Sam and it looked like the two might even go out on a date. Every so often Derek would look over at Casey and smile, and she would get some kind of hope that he would toss Kendra to the sharks but he never did. "Baby, I'm hungry." said Kendra in a whiny voice.

"Then go get something to eat." said Casey with a look on her face that said Kendra should know better.

"We'll be leaving soon, babe, we can go to Giorgio's for pizza."

"Okay Derek." she said nuzzling his neck.

"I think I'm gonna be sick. Excuse me." said Casey as she hopped down from her barstool and left the others to their own devices. A few minutes later she was joined by Derek. She knew by the scent of his Axe cologne. "I'm telling you, it's in your best interest if you go away right now Derek."

"And why is that Case?" he asked touching her shoulder lightly. They were behind the concession stand, to where Derek had followed Casey.

"Don't call me that..." she jerked away from him. "...and don't touch me. Don't you dare touch me after your hands have been all over her."

"All over where Casey? She's all over me, not the other way around!" he screamed though no one seemed to hear him other than Casey.

"You just had to ruin it." she said. "Everything was going so fine and then here you come with _her_!"

"I had no choice!"he yelled back. "Look..." he said trying to calm down."...lets talk about this like adults. We have to keep up appearances and it appears that she's my girlfriend."

"You know what, two can play that game. See you at Giorgio's." said Casey storming off to find Emily.

When Derek arrived at Giorgio's he was surprised to find out that there was already a booth reserved in his name for him and his friends. Though he was a little shocked he hardly showed it, by asking just to be shone to his table. Kendra squealed and gave him a kiss for being so thoughtful. Derek, not one to disappoint, was all smirks. As if he had really done something. As soon as he tool his seat he figured it out, because sitting in the booth just across from his was Casey, Emily and some guy he had never seen before. Derek tried his best to ignore the fact that they were there but he just couldn't. Casey would giggle and Derek would sneer at anything in his path, because he refused to look her way. That was his girl, he thought to himself. Secretly, said a small voice in his head. And, he reasoned to himself, he knew Casey was doing nothing different than what he was doing with Kendra. Keeping up appearances.

Then the guy wrapped his arms around Casey and their lips touched. Derek lost control of his body and felt as if he was on autopilot. Before he knew what he was doing he was pouring all of his anger and frustration into an aggressive kiss with Kendra. Derek then looked over at Casey waiting for a reaction, the one he got was not what he had at all expected. She smirked, and all he could think was how sexy she looked in that moment. That all came crashing down when she grabbed the guy by his head full of hair and planted a kiss on him that left him breathless. Derek was stunned and, for once, he couldn't hide it. "Derek?" asked Sam as he looked between the two with a confused look on his face. "What's up?"

"Yeah, hunm you alright?" asked Kendra as she smiled and placed a tender kiss on his lips. "You looked a little spooked."

"Nah..." he smirked as he looked at the equally stunned Casey out of the corner of his eye. "...I'm good now." to say the night got better for Derek would be a lie, but at least it didn't get any worse. Still Casey flirted shamelessly with the guy but not so much kissing went on. Not for the guys lack of trying. Not that Derek couldn't understand that other dudes want, he has been on the receiving end of one of Casey's mind shattering kisses. One thing that happened to bother Derek throughout the entire evening was the guys hand. He just couldn't keep them to himself. It drove Derek completely insane, but he balanced it out the only way he knew how. His hands never left Kendra's body.

Around eight thirty Casey and her group got up to leave. Derek on the inside was jumping for joy though his only sign of happiness was a disregarded small smile. Until he saw what Casey was wearing, however. Her dress was a black tube top dress and it was the shortest length Derek could imagine. "Wow, dude, look at your step-sister."

"Oh I am." he said through gritted teeth."What the hell is she wearing?"

"Oh, hi Derek." said Casey as she passed, gorgeous gams teasing him with every stride. "Bye Derek." she giggled.

Casey

I left Giorgio's thinking I had the upper hand, but things can change. And the top dog can never stay on top for long. We left Giorgio's and dropped Emily off, ii thought things would be the same for me but I was wrong.

Flash Back

we pulled up in front of Emily's house and she got out. "See you later Troy, and thanks for the ride." she laughed.

"No problem." he says smiling.

"Call me later Case." she exclaims walking backward toward his house. He makes sure she get in ok, and blowing he pulls off.

"I live on Willshire..." I say pointing to the left. "...that way. 144 Willshire." he just laughs. "What?"

"I think you're super cute." he says putting my arm down. "But I already know where Willshire is." he chuckled smiling my way.

"Oh." I say quite embarrassed. As he just smiled Derek's face flashes through my mind. Some part of me yearns for him but I try to shake it off. As I've been trying to all night. I hate it, almost. I'm in the car with a really cute guy and all I can think about Is my two-timing step-brother.

"Hellooo!" he exclaims in my ear, grabbing my attention.

"Oh, my God, I am so sorry." I say giggling nervously with my eyes wide and my hands over my mouth. How could I have really ignored him this whole time. Oh, wait, I know, Derek.

"No sweat." he laughs, successfully making me feel worse. "I just thought, maybe, you'd like to know you're home." he says pointing to my house.

"Oh yeah." I say sounding quite stupid as I want to say more but I'm unsure as to what it should be. 'Gee, thanks for helping me make my step-brother jealous'? No, of course not. "Thanks for the ride." I say getting out but before I can fully leave his car he lightly grabs my wrist. "Yeah?" I ask politely though some part of me wants to scream 'STRANGER DANGER!'

"Do you wanna talk about whatever's been bothering you all night?" he asks, eyes locked on mine. I don't know what to say. Should I talk to a complete stranger about my problems? "I know I'm practically a stranger but I've got a good ear." I sit back down and close my door. Maybe that's what I need.

"Just been a stressful first day of Summer." I say, knowing I should elaborate and I hope he won't ask me too.

"You know what's good for stress?" he asks leaning in closer to me.

"Massages?" I ask knowing better.

"Well, yeah, but I was thinking something a little more intimate." he leans in closer and captures my chin in his hand before pressing his lips to mine. "Something like that."

"Yeah." I say caught in the moment as he leans his seat and mines back.

"Good." I don't know what I'm getting myself into here, but it feels good. Even if it feels wrong.

End Flash Back

Now as I walk the stairs to my house I feel disgusted with myself. How could I have done that with someone I hardly knew. I open the door and slam it closed, not bothering to see if he got off okay. I see George and Mom sitting on the couch but I don't bother speaking to them. After the day I've had I just wanna go to my room and cry. "How was Raging Waters?" my Mom asks me.

"Fine." I say stomping up the stairs

"You know, that's the second 'fine' we've gotten tonight." said Nora looking worried.

"Mmhmm." said the ever chipper George smiling over at his wife.

_Don't give up_

_It's just the weight of the world_

_When you heart's heavy_

_I, I will lift it for you_

_Don't give up_

_Because you want to be heard_

_If silence keeps you_

_I, I will break it for you_

_Everybody wants to be understood_

_Well I can hear you_

_Everybody wants to be loved_

_Don't give up_

_Because You Are Loved_

Casey walked the hall of her house with guilt hanging over her like an Angel's halo. As she passed Derek's door she gave a hopeful stare, but, she thought, he would want nothing to do with her. Or, even more, actually listen to what she had to say. She opened the door to her bedroom, went in and closed the door lightly behind her. Flicking the lights on she threw herself down onto the bed. She wanted so badly to scream, or break things, but that wasn't Casey. There were many things she had done this say that weren't her. She held onto the belief, however, that she wasn't one of _those _girls. The types that allowed jealousy to ruin their relationships, secret or otherwise. And Casey MacDonald was not one of those girls that used other to get what she wanted. Not usually. How had she allowed herself to fall so low? Derek.

Tears of frustration and anger came before she could stop them. Frutrsation at wanting the one person she might never _truly _have. A light knock alerted her that someone was at the door. Casey just asked them to politely go away. A few moments after that the door opened to reveal the object of her afftections in pyjamas holding a long rectangular box. "Go away Derek." she demanded, though she hardly meant to.

"No." he said, ever the defiant one. And then he looked closer at Casey's timelessly beautiful face. "Were you crying?"

"Why does it matter to you?" she asked vehemently, but even as she did she knew. No matter what he had done this day he cared for her. "Now, what do you want?"

"To make a peace offering." he asked extending the long box. "I'm so sorry about today Casey. I really am." he said sliding a hand through his hair as she took the box from his hand.

"What is it?" she asked, curiosity winning over anger for a moment. Casey lightly wiped her eyes on her jacket, reminding Derek of the innocence of her youth, before opening the box.

"It reminds me of the day you kissed me." he said with half a smile upon his face.

"Yeah." laughed Casey as she looked up from the stuffed rose lying in her lap. Their eyes met and in his she saw that he too was hurting. "Do you know how hard it was for me to see, Derek? To see you with her knowing it should have been me?"

"It was hard for me, too, Casey!" he quietly exclaimed. "Seeing that guy with his paws all over you drove me crazy."

"I know, and I'm sorry for that." she said earnestly. "But, Derek, how is this going to work? This secret relationship?" she asked getting to her feet. "Is this even a relationship or am I some piece on the side?"

"No!" he yelled, voice raw from emotion. "Casey you..." he stammered, trying to decide on whether or not to tell her his true feelings. "...you are everything. Do you know I wake up thinking about you, and I never stop? Do you know that every moment I spend with Kendra is spent wishing. Wishing I could be with you. "Do you know..." he asked moving ever more closer to her. "Do you know that I love you?" it was the easiest thing to say as he knew the words he spoke were true. Now all he had to do was wait.

"I love you Derek." she said quietly as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Pressing their lips together she snaked her arms around his neck and held him. "I hate that I love you so." she whispered against his lips. "Oh, I just want you to know I couldn't seal the deal with Troy. I kept thinking about you. I wanted so bad to make you feel how I was feeling but I just couldn't I love you so much that it consumes me."

"I know the feeling." he smirked.

"De-rek." she said lightly kissing him. "Love you."

"Love you too." and they sealed their love with another kiss, knowing their Summer romance had only just begun but so had the hardest Summer of their lives. Would they make it?

The End

Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I PRETEND to own any of the characters from Life With Derek Or High School Musical. Nor do I own Josh Groban's You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)

(1) I dunno what High School they go to so I decided on East High because there are one of those everywhere.

Now I challenge everyone who reviews to leave their favorite scene and WHY. YAY I had fun writing this lol. TTFN


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